“I feel it’s unsafe to walk”: Impacts of alcohol supply on public space in eight neighbourhoods, and residents’ input to alcohol licensing decisions

This report and educational resource is about community voice in bottle store licence decisions and alcohol’s effects on neighbourhood spaces. It discusses:

• the impacts of alcohol on inclusivity, safety and comfort in neighbourhoods
• public opinions on alcohol supply in people's neighbourhoods
• what influences alcohol licensing decisions
• institutional racism within the decision-making system
• the challenges of objecting to alcohol licensing
• systemic barriers to applications for licenses.

The research was produced by the SHORE & Whariki Research Centre(link is external), Massey University and funded by Te Whatu Ora | Health New Zealand (previously Te Hiringa Hauora | Health Promotion Agency) as part of the 2018-2019 Research Investment for Priorities in Alcohol for research addressing ‘the impact of alcohol on others’.

The outcomes of this report also include:

• Our community, our choice, a downloadable explanation of major findings in comic format
• a piece on The Spinoff
• You can also find out more about this report and additional resources on the alcohol.org resources page.